Building a research workforce equipped to deliver inclusive health research 

Research that reflects the diversity of the populations it serves is more likely to generate findings that are relevant, equitable and applicable in real-world healthcare settings. However, many researchers report lacking the confidence, knowledge and practical tools needed to embed inclusion throughout the research lifecycle. 

The NIHR BRC: Birmingham has established a programme of research inclusion training and workforce development to help researchers design and deliver more inclusive research. This has combined leadership development, practical skills training, national collaboration and peer learning opportunities, helping to embed inclusion as a core component of research excellence. 

In 2023 and 2024, the BRC: Birmingham partnered with specialist anti-racism organisation brap to deliver a tailored development programme for research leaders. The programme challenged participants to examine how concepts of race influence research design, recruitment, leadership and organisational culture. Participants reported lasting changes to their thinking and practice, describing the training as “one of the best courses I’ve been on” and highlighting its positive impact on the quality of research.  

Building on this work, Birmingham co-hosted the inaugural national BRC/CRF Inclusion Conference in 2024, bringing together Equality, Diversity and Inclusion leads from across NIHR infrastructure to share practical approaches to embedding inclusive research practices. 

In 2026/25, the BRC: Birmingham also co-developed a national research inclusivity webinar programme with five other NIHR BRCs. Across participating sites, over 970 researchers attended training focused on ethnicity inclusion, intersectionality and socio-economic disadvantage. At Birmingham, confidence in applying the NIHR INCLUDE Framework increased by 69 percentage points following training.  

To support implementation, Birmingham commissioned a bespoke workshop led by Professor Shaun Treweek focused on inclusive grant applications, participant recruitment and study design. Feedback showed 100% positive responses across all evaluation measures, with every participant reporting an intention to change their research practice following the training.